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SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAN 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Nuclear Iran" 
 
Daily columnist Rakan Majali writes on the back-page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(04/13):  "Iran's announcement of becoming nuclear was 
not a surprise, and this has in fact cut off the path 
of any threats or provocations.  Like North Korea, 
Iran explicitly defied America's arrogance of 
controlling the fate of the world in a manner that 
reflects moodiness and aggressiveness.  Since the 
United States has swallowed North Korea's rejection of 
U.S. threats, it will in turn swallow Iran's defiance, 
despite the presence of the Israeli whip that will 
continually try to mobilize America against Iran going 
nuclear..  More importantly, America will make a 
thousand calculations before it deals a destructive 
military blow to Iran..  This Iranian step has put 
America in an embarrassing situation.  While it 
invaded Iraq on the basis of doubts, fabrications and 
lies that were later acknowledged as such, America 
turned a blind eye to semi-confirmed reports about 
Iran's progress to develop nuclear weapons.  The 
question today is whether America will deal with Iran 
the way it did with Pakistan and India, that is 
accepting the reality, or it will deal with this 
development in accordance with Israel's calculations 
which do not mind getting America involved in a type 
of mad adventure.  Iran's joining the nuclear club 
might be an opportunity for America to reconsider its 
calculations in the region in a manner that serves its 
interests and help remove the tension and instability 
in the region for the benefit of all." 
 
-- "Iran and the 'good news'" 
 
Daily columnist Oraib Rantawi writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(04/13):  "Iran bid farewell, probably forever, to the 
club of the weak and the weaklings and officially 
declared its joining the club of nuclear powers.. 
Congratulations to Iran on its achievement and its 
accomplishment in these very difficult regional and 
international circumstances.  Congratulations to its 
leaders who were looked upon by some 'modernizing' 
leaders with a great deal of belittling.  Let all our 
hopeless initiatives of making the Middle East a WMD- 
free area go to hell; these initiatives that convinced 
no one..  As for us, we will continue exercising our 
favorite hobby: panting after a mirage of lost 
projects and empty slogans." 
 
-- "Tehran and the nuclear club" 
 
Daily columnist Basem Sakijha writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(04/13):  "It is not ordinary news what Iran 
announced.  The fact that Iran is now a member of the 
nuclear club means that many of the formulas and 
equations could change.  The Islamic Republic is 
reaffirming the fact that it cannot be ignored and 
that it must be addressed as an effective regional 
power.  There are many losers and winners.  Washington 
and Tel Aviv are the first losers, as there appears in 
the horizon a new and different formula where Israel 
does not seem to be the sole controller..  There are 
other losers like the Arab regimes who were not able 
to win neither war nor peace.  But there are major 
winners like Damascus which has reaffirmed its 
continued presence through its strategic relationship 
with Iran..  Many things will change in the Middle 
East.  We believe that the Arab street is viewing this 
development with a sense of reassurance.  After all, 
the Islamic nuclear bomb gives the Arab people back 
some hope and optimism while they watch Israel eating 
away at everything." 
 
-- "Iran is nuclear" 
 
Chief Editor Ayman Safadi writes on the back-page of 
centrist, independent Arabic daily Al-Ghad (04/13): 
"America will now have to think a million times before 
undertaking a military adventure in Iran.  It will 
escalate its diplomatic efforts and exercise economic 
pressures, but it will not open a battle front with 
Iraq.  Yet, the danger of getting the region involved 
in a new military confrontation is now coming from 
Israel, which considers Iran's joining the nuclear 
club a strategic threat with which it cannot live. 
Israel's calculations in this regard are very 
different from Washington's.  Israel knows that if it 
starts a military confrontation with Iran, it will not 
have to finish it alone.  Therefore, it is not 
unlikely that Israel would direct selective strikes to 
Iran's nuclear sites, removing what it considered the 
biggest threat to it and leaving the responsibility of 
preventing any Iranian counter-attacks to the 
America..  As for the Arabs, they stand completely 
helpless and without any influence on ongoing events. 
As usual, their role will be that of the spectator, 
despite the fact that Iran's development of the 
nuclear bomb constitutes a blatant threat to their own 
interests." 
HALE